It’s a bit hard to believe that hip-hop, as a genre, is old enough for grumpy old men to number among its ranks; it’s even harder to believe that it’s been a decade since the heyday of Quannum, the collective that counted Blackalicious, Latyrx, and Pigeon John as decorated members. I remember reviewing music in 2002, the year Blackalicious’ Blazing Arrow was released; I’d become so enamored with the album that I wrote a gimmicky concept review of it in my […]
Posts tagged "Spin Cycle"
Spin Cycle: Madonna’s “MDNA”
The most successful female pop artist in history is back. Does “MDNA” rank among Madonna’s best albums?
Spin Cycle: The Melvins’ “The Bulls and the Bees”
Don’t say The Melvins never gave you anything for free. In advance of their upcoming studio album (Freak Puke is due on June 5th), The Melvins are giving away an EP of originals entitled The Bulls and the Bees over at Scion a/v . It’s the kind of EP that fans would gladly pay for given how diverse the thing is. Beginning with the sonic sludge of “The War On Wisdom” (and featuring miniature versions of The Melvins in the video, as […]
Spin Cycle: The All-American Rejects’ “Kids in the Street”
It seems a bit unfair to lump Oklahoma power-poppers All-American Rejects in with the sort of Hot Topic rock that broke around the same time as the band did; sure, they’ve never been the most challenging of bands, and their candy-coated hooks generally make them feel like the musical equivalent of pop rocks, but if catchiness were a liability, The Beatles never would have commandeered rock and roll in the first place. The closest thing AAR have to a dyed-in-the-wool […]
Spin Cycle: Overkill’s “The Electric Age”
I’m not sure exactly what happened in the past few years and if it is related to the emergence of a new generation of bands emulating the ’80s thrash metal style, but over the past couple of years, many of the originators of the genre have been releasing some of their best albums in years, if not, in some cases, of their careers. While Overkill has always been good at releasing consistently good albums, their last few albums have been […]
Spin Cycle: Soul Khan’s “Wellstone” EP
Battle rapper Soul Khan has unleashed a new album entitled “Wellstone.” Check out the review!
Spin Cycle: The Shins’ “Port of Morrow”
James Mercer and an (all new) band of Shins are back after a five-year absence. How much does a new lineup alter the landscape of The Shins’ intricate pop? Read the review and find out.
Spin Cycle: The Ting Tings’ “Sounds From Nowheresville”
Regardless of one’s feelings about The Ting Tings – day-glo pop masterminds or mere dancefloor diversions – they’d doubtlessly be a surprising addition to the canon of 2000s artists granted pop longevity. Their debut record, We Started Nothing, was a dance-rock jackpot, spilling out a startling amount of durable singles like a generous Atlantic City slot machine; but it, as a record, never offered anything below the heavily stylized surface. Not that all music needs to, mind you – it’s just […]
Spin Cycle: Lucero’s “Women & Work”
I was first introduced to Lucero in 2001 when I saw them open a string of dates for the North Mississippi Allstars in Colorado. Prior to hearing them for the first time, I was told to expect “Jay Farrar meets emo”. I found this description to not only be fairly accurate, but musically, it was wildly successful in execution. The band’s self-titled debut and sophomore effort Tennessee were quality releases, but the third album That Much Further West is where […]
Spin Cycle: Say Anything’s “Anarchy, My Dear”
You could fill years of academic journals with research about popular music and mental illness. The chemical balances that lend themselves to musical mastery will surely never be uncovered, nor will we ever understand the tendency of artistic geniuses to commit themselves to bizarre or self-destructive behaviors (or, in some cases, both). But what happens if things get better? What if you’re able to quell your demons and triumph over adversity – does the music get better, or does the […]
Spin Cycle: HarborLights “All Would Not Do”
Hum meets Mogwai? Pelican lite? Describe Massachusetts HarborLights however you want just don’t call them boring. Destined for great things, HarborLights long awaited debut, All Would Not Do, channels all those bands yet adds so much more to create an epic eight track beast that sways effortlessly between serene moments of clarity and jaw dropping segments of heavy guitar fueled sonic ecstasy. Beginning with “All Is True”, HarborLights set a beautiful tone with guitarist Matthew Wright’s leads building to a […]